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YUMARR is a technology front-runner in the development of automation systems for the mining industry.

Situational awareness, collision avoidance, operator assistance, machine guidance and safeguarding, tunnel and terrain mapping, volumetric measurement solutions and advanced object detection under harsh environmental conditions are all areas in which the company has proven its mettle.

Currently, YUMARR operates from facilities in Australia and Germany, and is adept at taking on surface and underground vehicle automation projects and large material handling equipment.

The company’s systems enable automation in areas where traditional administrative controls are the only means to separate the person from the hazard, which far too often – due to human factors – do not prevent accidents from happening.

Demanding applications in very unforgiving environments require only the most reliable, robust sensing and computing equipment and it is in this vein that YUMARR is particularly specialised.

Nicky Guenther, senior engineer and director at YUMARR Australia, is aware of the growing optimism in the adoption of automation in the mining industry, and said that technology is finally catching up with the demanding requirements that enable automation of heavy equipment in the mining industry.”

“The advances in perception sensor technology, together with YUMARR’s outstanding know-how and intelligent algorithms,” he explained, “now allow situational awareness and measurement of performance data under tough conditions like heavy dust and water spray.

“Another example is the interconnectivity of devices such as sensors, controllers and actuators, which allow real-time monitoring of the operation and closed loop control.”

YUMARR has got the vision to develop and provide systems that significantly reduce the risks faced by people working in mine sites. “Automation can allow the complete separation of the machine operator from the hostile situation and to control the machine from a safe remote location,” said Guenther.

In one of its first products, YUMARR has used automation to perceive, interpret and safeguard the complex interactions of humans, the machine and the environment, but not to remove the person from the machine.

JumboGuard, its automatic boom isolation system for underground drill rigs, delivers significant safety benefits for mining companies around Australia, so much so YUMARR received the Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award at the 2017 Prospect Awards for its efforts.

As if that wasn’t enough praise, JumboGuard also picked up a 2017 PACE Zenith Award in the category of ‘Safety System Innovation’ beating out industry big-hitters like Leuze and Bosch.

“Underground drill operators and machine offsiders have among the toughest and most demanding jobs in the industry. The YUMARR team is very proud, as JumboGuard plays an important role in allowing operating crews to return safely and healthily from the drill face back to their families,” said Guenther.

Holger Salow, also senior engineer and director at YUMARR, described the award as a great honour for the company.

“For a start-up, YUMARR has experienced a great demand for our smart solutions for automation and machine control which allows us to work with the big players of the industry,” he said.

YUMARR provides systems for OEMs and customised solutions for end users that are installed and operating in various surfaces and underground mine sites across Australia.

“As such we have become a technology partner with Rio Tinto in the development of the ‘Drill of the Future’ and developed the situational awareness system for their autonomous drills,” Salow said.

“In addition to this, leading equipment manufacturer Atlas Copco uses the object detection and ground profiling system Pit Viper Guard, which was designed and developed by YUMARR, to fully automate their blast hole drills.”